On this day, eight years ago, Sydney Swans defender Nick Malceski sealed the 2012 Grand Final to help the Sydney Swans to their most recent premiership.
In order to have any chance of winning the 2012 Premiership the Sydney Swans needed to be efficient, composed and most of all take their chances against strong favourites Hawthorn.
At the 7-minute mark of the first quarter, under considerable pressure, the most unlikely of goal kickers, Nick Malceski, kicked truly from deep in the left full forward pocket – the wrong side for a left footer.
It was a miraculous – almost impossible – goal, and the only one we would score for the quarter.
In a blistering second quarter the Swans scored 6 goals straight while Hawthorn kicked a solitary point.
However, they clawed their way back into the game and at three quarter time, the Swans led by only one point, 10.5.65 to 9.10.64.
Hawthorn kicked the first two goals of the final quarter and the Swans looked to be in trouble but goals to Dan Hannebery, Kieren Jack, and Adam Goodes saw us take a four point lead late in the term.
With 40 seconds to go, Nick Malceski again stamped himself on the game when he snapped beautifully from a pack about 20 metres from goal, and put the game beyond Hawthorn’s reach.
The Swans prevailed 14.7-91 to 11.15-81.
In the same vein as Nick Davis’ four last quarter goals against Geelong in the 2005 Semi Final and Leo Barry’s famous last mark of the game versus West Coast in the Grand Final of that same year, Nick’s bookend goals in the 2012 Grand Final will go down in Swans folklore.
In addition to his two magical goals, Nick had an outstanding Grand Final, finishing with the fifth most possessions for the team as he rebounded the ball from defence.
